Leopard's Midnight Stroll Through Police Station Stuns Chandrapur Officials
For a brief but unsettling moment under the cover of darkness, law enforcers in Chandrapur district came face to face with the wild. A leopard silently entered the premises of the Pathri police station, leaving personnel stunned and triggering a high alert across the village.
Nocturnal Intrusion at Colonial-Era Station
The intrusion occurred on Saturday night at the colonial-era police station located in the heart of Pathri village in Saoli taluka. This police station has existed even before Saoli was declared a taluka and later received its own separate police station.
Forest and police personnel have immediately tightened surveillance in and around the village. Pathri represents a settlement on the forest fringe where human habitation and wildlife territory increasingly overlap.
Swift Escape Before Response
Range Forest Officer Vinod Dhurve from Saoli range confirmed the incident. He stated the leopard entered the police station premises and escaped toward the forest before anybody could respond.
"As soon as we received the information, forest guards and the Primary Response Team reached the spot," Dhurve explained. "They carried out a joint inspection with police personnel. It was confirmed that the leopard fled from the rear side of the police station into the forest."
The officer detailed their immediate actions. "Night patrols were intensified immediately. We deployed deterrent measures including bursting firecrackers to drive the animal away from human settlements."
First Recorded Incident of Its Kind
The Range Forest Officer maintained this marks the first recorded incident of leopard intrusion specifically within the police station. Wild animals have entered the village in previous instances, but never the police station itself.
"Patrolling has been intensified across the area," Dhurve emphasized. "The Primary Response Team remains on high alert. Police personnel are also keeping continuous vigil to prevent any recurrence."
Shocked Personnel Witness Calm Parade
Officials reconstructed the leopard's likely path. The animal probably jumped the front compound wall, easily crossed the outer premises, and exited by leaping over the rear boundary wall. All this happened within mere moments.
Police personnel on duty experienced sheer shock at the sudden appearance of the predator. With no real opportunity to react, they could only watch in disbelief. The animal calmly paraded across the campus before vanishing into the surrounding darkness.
Immediate Alert and Search Operations
Pathri police station in-charge Nitesh Dorlikar confirmed the forest department received immediate alert. "Pathri is surrounded by dense forest and a nearby water body," Dorlikar noted. "In search of water or potential prey, the leopard may have strayed into the village. It eventually reached the police station premises."
He added, "A thorough search was conducted following the incident. Officials confirmed the animal had indeed fled back toward forested areas."
Safety Briefings for Police Personnel
Forest officials have conducted briefings for police personnel regarding leopard behavior. They provided clear instructions about dos and don'ts during potential confrontations with wildlife.
Though no injuries were reported from this incident, residents feel understandably unsettled. The event has renewed calls for sustained monitoring and stronger preventive measures. Community members seek concrete actions to curb rising human-wildlife encounters in the region.
